Live updates, by Chris Cook

6.45pm Nictory Vote out of Festival

Nictory Vote will miss the Cheltenham Festival after sustaining a small crack to one of his knees. Paul Nicholls' charge had been second-favourite for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle on Wednesday, and had an entry in the conditional jockeys race named after Martin Pipe on Friday.

5.40pm Lively outsider for the Arkle

There's been some interesting support for Gauvain, now down to 40-1 for Tuesday's Arkle Trophy. I can't see why he's still such a big price, having been confirmed a definite runner by trainer Charlie Mann.

This seven-year-old would be unbeaten in all three starts since a wind operation, but for falling at Fontwell on his penultimate start when three lengths clear. He travels well and stays on strongly, as he proved when reeling in Free World at Sandown last time. That race was a Grade Two and a recognised trial for the Arkle, though it is normally run at Warwick. Both Flagship Uberalles and Voy Por Ustedes won it before winning the Arkle.

Clearly, jumping is an issue and Gauvain will not win if he has not learned something from his Fontwell tumble and a couple of minor errors at Sandown. But good novices do learn from their mistakes - even the great Moscow Flyer took a couple of falls in his novice season before winning the Arkle - and there's no way he should be such a big price for what looks a weak renewal.

Tatenen deserves to be favourite and has looked very classy, but the bare form of his two wins over fences amounts to little and he was beaten at odds-on in the only race where he faced a serious test. At 4-1, I'd rather be against him, even though holes can be picked in the claims of his most obvious rivals.

5.30pm Soft ground for day one?

Cheltenham's clerk of the course, Simon Claisse, has been enticed into making another guess at the likely going on Tuesday, day one of the Festival. He says the forecast half-inch of rain on Monday night may be enough to change the going from good to soft to soft, which seems a little odd, given that the area has been almost entirely dry for three weeks.

Anyway, it looks like you don't want to be backing good-ground horses or anything with suspect stamina on Tuesday, at least until the first couple of races give us a clearer idea of how the course is riding.

Binocular's stamina is going to be thoroughly tested and I really don't know how anyone can bring themselves to back him at the current 6-4 for the Champion Hurdle.

5.05pm Looks like Mr Pipe may agree with you, DrKelso

David Pipe feels his Seven Is My Number was unlucky in the Imperial Cup. "He got chopped up on the bend and that definitely cost him a few lengths," the trainer said. "He's still run a decent race, as did Mr Thriller."

Pipe indicated Mr Thriller may still run at the Festival, where his five entries include the Coral Cup, the Triumph Hurdle and the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. Seven Is My Number is surely too far down the weights to get into any race at Cheltenham this week.

3.35pm Flipando gets there this time!

Jamie Spencer rode Flipando a lot more prominently this time and the pair were comfortable winners of Wolverhampton's Lincoln Trial, having been backed down to 9-4. Polytrack really seems to have rejuvenated this eight-year-old, whose last turf win was almost two years ago. Those who lost out on him at Lingfield on Sunday, when Spencer left it far too late, have hopefully got their money back this time.

3.20pm Dave's Dream (12-1) wins Imperial Cup for Henderson / Geraghty

Seven Is My Number was indeed the Pipes' best chance, running on from the back into second place. But he couldn't reel in Dave's Dream, who had been prominent throughout and kicked on at the top of the straight, where Barry Geraghty brought him over to the stands' side in search of better ground. Prince Taime was third, Mr Thriller held onto fourth after making the early running.

Dave's Dream provides a boost for trainer Nicky Henderson ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, in which he has Binocular, a hot favourite for Tuesday's Champion Hurdle.

Dave's Dream will land a £75,000 bonus from Paddy Power if he can win at the Festival. He holds entries in the County Hurdle and a conditional jockeys race the same day, but Henderson has just said on Channel 4 that he doesn't really want to run the horse again so quickly, as he is a really good, long-term prospect. Henderson even mentioned the Cheltenham Gold Cup as a possible target for a future year, and this trainer is not a man to talk idly about such matters.

2.55pm Inevitably . . .

Seven Is My Number is now favourite on Betfair, fractionally shorter than Numide, with the race 15 minutes away. Meanwhile, poor old friendless Mr Thriller is out to 11-2.

The money has really been piling on Prince Taime, unseen since flopping in the Ladbroke at Ascot before Christmas. Having been 20-1 this morning, Philip Hobbs' charge is down to 8-1 now.

Big Eared Fran was last seen trailing Aachen in a maiden hurdle at Taunton last month. His win means Aachen is arguably well treated for Friday's County Hurdle (he's 10-1), though he must run off a mark one stone higher than Big Eared Fran had today.

Trained by Venetia Williams and part-owned by the famous, flamboyant gambler Harry Findlay, Aachen has won two novice hurdles since Taunton and has an alternative entry in Tuesday's Supreme Novice Hurdle.

2.10pm Mr Thriller no longer favourite . . .

. . . for the Imperial Cup, having drifted out to 5-1 on Betfair. Numide is a bit shorter, while Seven Is My Number is down to 11-2 and still being backed.

1.50pm 17 left in Gold Cup

All the big names have stood their ground at the five-day entry stage for Friday's Gold Cup, while peripheral types like The Listener, Big Buck's, Snowy Morning and State Of Play are among the withdrawals. Kauto Star heads the market at a shade over 2-1 on Betfair. Hunting through the field for a bit of each-way value, I just wonder if Roll Along is too big at 100-1, having run second in last year's RSA Chase. He could certainly stay on into a place if the strong pace takes its toll on the more fancied contenders.

Star De Mohaison has been left in the Gold Cup, but Paul Nicholls has said in today's Racing Post that he will run instead in Tuesday's William Hill Trophy. That will leave Nicholls with four in the Gold Cup - Denman, Kauto Star, Neptune Collonges and My Will.

12.30pm Here comes Seven money

The big question today is this: which of David Pipe's two runners in the Imperial Cup is really fancied by those close to the stable? Is it Mr Thriller, who's got a lot of weight for a four-year-old making its handicap debut? Or is it Ron's tip, Seven Is My Number, who may be very well treated at the bottom of the weights?

Well, Mr Thriller is still favourite but he's out to a shade over 4-1 on Betfair from 7-2 this morning. Meanwhile, Seven Is My Number has been backed from 7-1 into 11-2. Can you see the way this is going?

Today's TV races, by Ron Cox

David Pipe, successful in the last two ­runnings of the Paddy Power ­Imperial Cup, is once again hot on the trail of the £75,000 bonus that is up for grabs if today's ­Sandown winner follows up in any race at next week's Cheltenham Festival.

Pipe did the double with Gaspara two seasons ago, and last year Ashkazar ­finished second at the Festival after his Imperial Cup win. Mr Thriller is ­favourite to give Pipe the hat-trick but, at the bottom of the handicap, stablemate Seven Is My Number (3.10) looks very threatening.

The lightly raced seven-year-old makes his first appearance of the season, but goes well fresh. He beat the multiple ­winner, Woolcombe Folly, when last seen at Taunton and a mark of 120 looks lenient for Seven Is My Number, who has several entries at Cheltenham next week.

Sandown 2.05 See tip of the day panel.

Wolverhampton 2.20 Ceremonial Jade, who needed the run when fifth behind Matsunosuke at Lingfield following a two-months break, will be one of the strong finishers here but Philario may be good enough to hold his rivals at bay. He found only the 109-rated Premio Loco too good for him after attempting to make all the running at Kempton, with Bonus a length away third, and will be just as effective over this furlong shorter trip.

Sandown 2.35 Oddly, Mister Quasimodo has been dropped 2lb by the official handicapper since finishing third behind New Little Bric and The Package in a far stronger race than this at Newbury last week. He has yet to prove conclusively that he stays three miles, but the drying ground will help him get the trip.

Wolverhampton 3.30 Flowing Cape, successful over 6f and 7f at this track, could have more to offer on the step up to a mile and Whitcombe Minister is interesting on his first run for Marco Botti. Provided Jamie Spencer does not leave it too late on Flipando, however, David Barron's runner will be hard to beat. Spencer came from an impossible position on Flipando when just failing to win at Lingfield on Sunday.

Sandown 3.45 This mares' bumper is largely guesswork for punters, but ­Diklers Oscar showed she possessed a turn of foot when giving Kentucky Sky 7lb and a ­decisive beating at Wetherby.

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Keki Buku 2.05 Sandown

Conqueror of Calgary Bay in a bumper race last season, Keki Buku looks set to improve for this step up in trip following his fifth behind Sunnyhillboy at Cheltenham. He won nicely at Wincanton after chasing home the classy Diamond Harry on his hurdles bow at Uttoxeter, where Finney (now 7lb worse off) was 11 lengths back in third. Keki Buku looks well treated on that form.

Horse sense

Henderson team hoping for new feat of Clay

Clay Hollister has been beaten twice since he notched an impressive 13-lengths win at Sandown in December, but the Nicky Henderson team are happy with the gelding's handicap mark in today's EBF Hurdle Final (2.05) at the Esher track. The six-year-old will be backed to make a return to form. A good workout on Wednesday showed Binocular had tightened up considerably since his well-publicised gallop at Kempton the previous week. He will be spot on for the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday, and Chomba Womba is reported to be right back to her best for the Mares' Hurdle on the opening day of the Festival.

Mr Thriller has been well touted to win another Imperial Cup at Sandown today for David Pipe but some at the stable fear he may be too high in the handicap. Our best news for the race concerns Numide (3.10). One of the most fancied Pipe-trained runners at Cheltenham next week is Buena Vista in Thursday's Pertemps Hurdle Final, and the four-year-old Torphichen has a "big chance" in Tuesday's Supreme Novice Hurdle. Andy Turnell completed preparations for his Festival team with work on Peter Cundell's gallops last week. Jigsaw Dancer is expected to give a good account of himself in next Friday's Grand Annual, while there is plenty of confidence behind Paul Nicholls' Pride Of Dulcote (2.40) for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle the same day.

West With The Wind completed his Cheltenham preparations by trouncing older stable-mate Honest John in a workout at Tom Tate's Tadcaster yard. The gelding should go well off his light weight in Wednesday's Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle.

Stratford on Monday affords the opportunity to boost Cheltenham funds. Look out for Brendan Powell's newcomer, Star King (5.10), in the bumper here. He did a good piece of work on a busy morning for gallopers at Newbury last Sunday.

The William Hill Lincoln Trial will keep followers of the Flat happy at Wolverhampton today, and here we have a good mark for George Foster's Lucky Dance (3.30). Our Newmarket contact likes Aeroplane (2.20), Ageebah (2.55) and Satwa Gold (5.15).

Seen and heard

There have been signs that the economic downturn is having an effect on the Cheltenham Festival, and the latest is the Tote's decision to cancel their special train service from Euston next Thursday. The private train will run on the other three days of the meeting, but a spokesperson for the Tote said: "There was no demand for the Thursday this year, not much interest really." Disappointed customers include one racing presenter who was looking forward to the day trip as guest speaker.

Timeform's influential Racehorses annual is out today and our sneak preview reveals the thorny issue of watering gets an airing in a typically combative introduction to the latest edition which reviews the 2008 Flat season. "Watering is ideally best used to maintain grass growth, rather than to alter the ground, and it is of increasing concern that such a policy isn't adhered to in practice . . . Jockeys returning covered in mud after racing on going officially described as good to firm and going descriptions manifestly at odds with race times are more common than they should be," state Timeform. The tipping organisation's experts rate 2008 a vintage year and believe Zarkava would have won the Arc even without the regulation fillies' allowance.

JP McManus has added Miss Sarenne to his formidable array of Cheltenham challengers. Tony McCoy rides the ex-French filly in the Fred Winter Hurdle on Wednesday, when victory for the champion would be doubly sweet - Miss Sarenne was set to become McCoy's 3,000th winner when she took a last-flight fall at Plumpton.